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The Maze Cutter by James Dashner

Hi, I’m Zach. In my free time I ski a lot, play piano, snowmobile, and read.

The Maze Cutter, by James Dashner is a new series set 73 years after the events of the Maze Runner trilogy. I would highly recommend reading those books before this one so you aren’t confused.

The main plot of this new book follows a group of kids who grew up on the isolated safe haven of an island where, in the last book, they sought refuge. This new generation of kids have no real concept of the outside world, only hearing about the dangers from stories around the campfire. They are living their normal life when one day they find a ship from the old world on their shores. Quickly after that they leave the island and embark on a perilous voyage into the unknown.

Once they get to the mainland and the real world, things escalate. They find themselves having to choose between comfort and survival, and who to trust. The format of this book is clever, in that it jumps between perspectives quickly, but still has chapters that tie everything together, sort of like a TV show. It hides just the right amount of details so that the reader is just as lost and confused as the characters, but still understands the urgency.

Overall, I enjoyed the plot, the writing style was new and fun. The only issue I had was that this book is obviously part of a bigger story, because it ends abruptly without some answers.

Find it in print and eaudiobook here.

The Immortal Boy or El Inmortal by Francisco Montaña Ibáñez, translated by David Bowles

I am Zach.

The Immortal Boy, or El Inmortal, by Francisco Montaña Ibáñez, translated by David Bowles, is a difficult and frustratingly average book. It follows two different stories, one about a family of kids struggling to eat enough and survive in Bogotá, Columbia. The other story is about a girl in an orphanage in Bogotá who meets this mysterious “Immortal Boy.”

This book is frustrating because of the fact that it was translated from Spanish. This makes reading it awkward and takes away from the story a bit. For example, the way that the sentences are formed doesn’t seem to flow well to me. Furthermore, I also was more invested in the story of the girl in the orphanage than of the family, but the author spent much longer developing the story of the family. This may or may not be a negative thing.

I also do not like the way that the story ends. It builds up to a climax, and then only has three pages of resolution. It is an unsatisfying ending and leaves you feeling really bad inside. The way that the two stories intertwine is fairly obvious and way too gross, as there is a part of the story where I literally threw up in my mouth. One character goes against what the first half of the book made him out to be, and it didn’t seem natural.

Overall, this book has a ton of potential, and it isn’t horrible, but it did not flow well and wasn’t my favorite book. I would only recommend this book if you are okay with feeling nauseous and can get past a couple of weirdly worded sentences. Otherwise, you can skip this one.

Find it in print here.

Every Body Looking by Candice Iloh

Hi, I am Sarah. I am fourteen years old and an avid reader; it is one of my favorite things to do. Inspired by authors’ creations of magnificent places and surprising havens built by simple letters, I aspire to be an author and, meanwhile, nurture the love to write.

Ada, which means first daughter in Nigeria, is a name that carries a lot of weight. It is a name that says, I am responsible, and I will fulfill everyone’s expectations. It is a name with a lot to live up to.
Ada, the person, is not sure she can live up to her name, or her responsibility. She feels like she doesn’t even know how to fit into her world. With her Nigerian, immigrant father and absent African American mother, she feels unsure of her culture and her identity. With her father’s devout Christianity and high hopes—and expectations—for his daughter, she feels like she is drowning. The only thing that has ever felt consistent, like home, is dancing.

As she starts her freshman year at a Historically Black College, this intersection of identity and responsibility is all coming to a head. College is a new collection of firsts: first time so far from her family, first formal dance classes, first relationships. Ada begins to question the responsibility laid out for her, and whether it is the responsibility she wants. As she explores herself, her sexuality, and her passion for dance, she learns that perhaps living up to her name does not mean fulfilling what others have destined for her, but instead what she destines for herself.

Candice Iloh has written a beautiful novel-in-verse that grapples with belonging, telling us that to really be whole, to really be free, we must be true to all parts of ourselves.

Find it in print here.

Let’s Go Swimming on Doomsday by Natalie C. Anderson

Hi, I am Sarah. I am fourteen years old and an avid reader; it is one of my favorite things to do. Inspired by authors’ creations of magnificent places and surprising havens built by simple letters, I aspire to be an author and, meanwhile, nurture the love to write.

When Abdi’s brother, Dahir, was kidnapped three years prior by the Islamic terrorist group Al Shabaab, he thought that he’d never see him again. But then his family is kidnapped from their home in present-day Somalia, and Abdi learns that not only has his brother survived, but has risen to prominence within the group. Forced to become both a child soldier and a spy for a government operation, Abdi is trapped in an impossible situation, made worse by his brother’s brainwashed allegiance to the group’s violent ideals, and the precarious position he is in as both a traitor to the group and a traitor to his own values.

A year later, Abdi has escaped to Sangui City, Kenya, and is picked up by a UN worker. As he lives in relative safety, he is forced to grapple with the trauma of the atrocities he saw and unwillingly partook in, and the impact of any ideals stretched too far.

This book kept me up into the wee hours of the morning with its fast-paced and brilliantly structured plot. The complicated threads of Abdi’s story unfold through three converging timelines, shining light on all characters from all walks of life, and how extremism can tear countries and communities apart. I adored this book and the way it made me wonder about a world far different from my own. I highly recommend it.

Find it in print here.

Again, But Better by Christine Riccio

Hi, my name is Rya. I am a sophomore and I enjoy reading, swimming and traveling.

Shane has always been caught up in her parent’s high academic expectations, leaving her little time to fully enjoy her high school years. When she finally gets to college, Shane is determined to make up for all of the memories and experiences she missed out on. Pretending to be attending a medical program abroad, she flies to London to pursue her passion for creative writing.

Here, Shane’s life is just as she always imagined it. Weekend trips to Paris, late-night conversations with her newfound friends, and writing filling up her time. Shane even meets Pilot, with whom she begins to develop a romantic relationship. Everything is going perfectly, that is until Shane’s parents show up for a surprise visit, still under the impression that she is a dedicated medical student. When Shane’s cover is blown, she is devastated, as her parents are forcing her to return to America and become a doctor. She grudgingly pursues medical school for nearly a decade, until one day, by chance, she meets an oddly familiar person in a mysterious coffee shop, who gives her the opportunity of a second chance.

In this story, Shane got a second chance, but many of us do not. Again, But Better is a candid reminder of this truth, as well as an encouragement to seize the opportunities that we are gifted with. This simply written, yet captivating book about relationships, courage, and chances is definitely worth a read.

Find the ebook here.

We Are the Ants by Shaun David Hutchinson

Hi, my name is Rya. I am a sophomore and I enjoy reading, swimming and traveling.

The alien abductions became a regular occurrence in Henry’s life. Every so often, they would capture him in their spacecraft, rob him of whatever belongings he was carrying, and remind him of his responsibility to save the world. According to them, Earth’s survival depends entirely on Henry’s decision to press a big red button. However, Henry has been struggling with the death of a family member, bullying, and other difficult experiences, which makes him wonder if the small bouts of joy, combined with the endless hardships of life, are enough to make the world worth saving.

Throughout this novel, the idea of the apocalypse is presented through a big-picture, scientific lens, with theoretical examples of the end of the world, as well as a human-centered lens, with a detailed narrative of Henry’s high school life. Both are intriguing accounts of the same idea and force the reader to consider just how insignificant and temporary humans are, which is something that we neglect every day amidst the complexity of our individual lives. After all, we are the ants, tiny organisms scurrying around, so hard-working, so self-involved, yet so ignorant of the vast universe that we are only a part of, and powerless in.

Find it in print here.